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Author Berthelot, A.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Modeling of CO2Splitting in a Microwave Plasma: How to Improve the Conversion and Energy Efficiency Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 121 Issue 121 Pages 8236-8251  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Microwave plasmas are one of the most promising techniques for CO2 conversion into value-added chemicals and fuels since they are very energy efficient. Nevertheless, experiments show that this high energy efficiency is only reached at low pressures and significantly drops toward atmospheric pressure, which is a clear limitation for industrial applications. In this paper, we use a zerodimensional reaction kinetics model to simulate a CO2 microwave plasma in a pressure range from 50 mbar to 1 bar, in order to evaluate the reasons for this decrease in energy efficiency at atmospheric pressure. The code includes a detailed description of the vibrational kinetics of CO2, CO, and O2 as well as the energy exchanges between them because the vibrational kinetics is known to be crucial for energy efficient CO2 splitting. First, we use a self-consistent gas temperature calculation in order to assess the key performance indicators for CO2 splitting, i.e., the CO2 conversion and corresponding energy efficiency. Our results indicate that lower pressures and higher power densities lead to more vibrational excitation, which is beneficial for the conversion. We also demonstrate the key role of the gas temperature. The model predicts the highest conversion and energy efficiencies at pressures around 300 mbar, which is in agreement with experiments from the literature. We also show the beneficial aspect of fast gas cooling in the afterglow at high pressure. In a second step, we study in more detail the effects of pressure, gas temperature, and power density on the vibrational distribution function and on the dissociation and recombination mechanisms of CO2, which define the CO2 splitting efficiency. This study allows us to identify the limiting factors of CO2 conversion and to propose potential solutions to improve the process.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000400039300002 Publication Date 2017-04-20  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 47 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:142809 Serial 4567  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ramakers, M.; Trenchev, G.; Heijkers, S.; Wang, W.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Gliding Arc Plasmatron: Providing an Alternative Method for Carbon Dioxide Conversion Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Chemsuschem Abbreviated Journal Chemsuschem  
  Volume 10 Issue 10 Pages 2642-2652  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Low-temperature plasmas are gaining a lot of interest for environmental and energy applications. A large research field in these applications is the conversion of CO2 into chemicals and fuels. Since CO2 is a very stable molecule, a key performance indicator for the research on plasma-based CO2 conversion is the energy efficiency. Until now, the energy efficiency in atmospheric plasma reactors is quite low, and therefore we employ here a novel type of plasma reactor, the gliding arc plasmatron (GAP). This paper provides a detailed experimental and computational study of the CO2 conversion, as well as the energy cost and efficiency in a GAP. A comparison with thermal conversion, other plasma types and other novel CO2 conversion technologies is made to find out whether this novel plasma reactor can provide a significant contribution to the much-needed efficient conversion of CO2. From these comparisons it becomes evident that our results are less than a factor of two away from being cost competitive and already outperform several other new technologies. Furthermore, we indicate how the performance of the GAP can still be improved by further exploiting its non-equilibrium character. Hence, it is clear that the GAP is very promising for CO2 conversion.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000403934400014 Publication Date 2017-05-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1864-5631 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.226 Times cited 42 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G.0383.16N 11U5316N ; Horizon 2020, 657304 ; Approved Most recent IF: 7.226  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:144184 Serial 4616  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Bie, C.; van Dijk, J.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title CO2Hydrogenation in a Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Revealed Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 120 Issue 120 Pages 25210-25224  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract The hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in a dielectric barrier discharge plasma is studied with a one-dimensional fluid model. The spatially averaged densities of the most important end products formed in the CO2/H2 mixture are determined as a function of the initial gas mixing ratio. CO and H2O are found to be present at the highest densities and to a lower content also CH4, C2H6, CH2O, CH3OH, O2, and some other higher hydrocarbons and oxygenates. The main underlying reaction

pathways for the conversion of the inlet gases and the formation of CO, CH4, CH2O, and CH3OH are pointed out for various gas mixing ratios. The CO2 conversion and the production of value added products is found to be quite low, also in comparison to a CO2/CH4 mixture, and this can be explained by the model.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000387737900007 Publication Date 2016-11-10  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 16 Open Access  
  Notes (up) Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:140082 c:irua:139167 Serial 4414  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Leinders, G.; Baldinozzi, G.; Ritter, C.; Saniz, R.; Arts, I.; Lamoen, D.; Verwerft, M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Charge Localization and Magnetic Correlations in the Refined Structure of U3O7 Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2021 Publication Inorganic Chemistry Abbreviated Journal Inorg Chem  
  Volume 60 Issue 14 Pages 10550-10564  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Atomic arrangements in the mixed-valence oxide U3O7 are refined from high-resolution neutron scattering data. The crystallographic model describes a long-range structural order in a U60O140 primitive cell (space group P42/n) containing distorted cuboctahedral oxygen clusters. By combining experimental data and electronic structure calculations accounting for spin–orbit interactions, we provide robust evidence of an interplay between charge localization and the magnetic moments carried by the uranium atoms. The calculations predict U3O7 to be a semiconducting solid with a band gap of close to 0.32 eV, and a more pronounced charge-transfer insulator behavior as compared to the well-known Mott insulator UO2. Most uranium ions (56 out of 60) occur in 9-fold and 10-fold coordinated environments, surrounding the oxygen clusters, and have a tetravalent (24 out of 60) or pentavalent (32 out of 60) state. The remaining uranium ions (4 out of 60) are not contiguous to the oxygen cuboctahedra and have a very compact, 8-fold coordinated environment with two short (2 × 1.93(3) Å) “oxo-type” bonds. The higher Hirshfeld charge and the diamagnetic character point to a hexavalent state for these four uranium ions. Hence, the valence state distribution corresponds to 24/60 × U(IV) + 32/60 U(V) + 4/60 U(VI). The tetravalent and pentavalent uranium ions are predicted to carry noncollinear magnetic moments (with amplitudes of 1.6 and 0.8 μB, respectively), resulting in canted ferromagnetic order in characteristic layers within the overall fluorite-related structure.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000675430900049 Publication Date 2021-07-19  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0020-1669 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.857 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Financial support for this research was partly provided by the Energy Transition Fund of the Belgian FPS Economy (Project SF-CORMOD – Spent Fuel CORrosion MODeling). This work was performed in part using HPC resources from GENCI-IDRIS (Grants 2020-101450 and 2020-101601), and in part by the VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center) and the HPC infrastructure of the University of Antwerp (CalcUA), both funded by the FWO-Vlaanderen and the Flemish Government-department EWI. GL thanks E. Suard and C. Schreinemachers for assistance during the neutron scattering experiments at the ILL. GB acknowledges V. Petříček for suggestions on using JANA2006. Approved Most recent IF: 4.857  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:179907 Serial 6801  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Shirazi, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title A DFT study of H-dissolution into the bulk of a crystalline Ni(111) surface: a chemical identifier for the reaction kinetics Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Physical chemistry, chemical physics Abbreviated Journal Phys Chem Chem Phys  
  Volume 19 Issue 19 Pages 19150-19158  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract In this study, we investigated the diffusion of H-atoms to the subsurface and their further diffusion into the bulk of a Ni(111) crystal by means of density functional theory calculations in the context of thermal and plasma-assisted catalysis. The H-atoms at the surface can originate from the dissociative adsorption of H2 or CH4 molecules, determining the surface H-coverage. When a threshold H-coverage is passed, corresponding to 1.00 ML for the crystalline Ni(111) surface, the surface-bound H-atoms start to diffuse to the subsurface. A similar threshold coverage is observed for the interstitial H-coverage. Once the interstitial sites are filled up with a coverage above 1.00 ML of H, dissolution of interstitial H-atoms to the layer below the interstitial sites will be initiated. Hence, by applying a high pressure or inducing a reactive plasma and high temperature, increasing the H-flux to the surface, a large amount of hydrogen can diffuse in a crystalline metal like Ni and can be absorbed. The formation of metal hydride may modify the entire reaction kinetics of the system. Equivalently, the H-atoms in the bulk can easily go back to the surface and release a large amount of heat. In a plasma process, H-atoms are formed in the plasma, and therefore the energy barrier for dissociative adsorption is dismissed, thus allowing achievement of the threshold coverage without applying a high pressure as in a thermal process. As a result, depending on the crystal plane and type of metal, a large number of H-atoms can be dissolved (absorbed) in the metal catalyst, explaining the high efficiency of plasma-assisted catalytic reactions. Here, the mechanism of H-dissolution is established as a chemical identifier for the investigation of the reaction kinetics of a chemical process.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000406334300034 Publication Date 2017-06-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1463-9076 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.123 Times cited 10 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Financial support from the Reactive Atmospheric Plasma processIng – eDucation (RAPID) network, through the EU 7th Framework Programme (grant agreement no. 606889), is gratefully acknowledged. The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government department (EWI) and the Universiteit Antwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 4.123  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:144794 Serial 4633  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Delfino, C.L.; Hao, Y.; Martin, C.; Minoia, A.; Gopi, E.; Mali, K.S.; Van der Auweraer, M.; Geerts, Y.H.; Van Aert, S.; Lazzaroni, R.; De Feyter, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Conformation-Dependent Monolayer and Bilayer Structures of an Alkylated TTF Derivative Revealed using STM and Molecular Modeling Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication The Journal of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J. Phys. Chem. C  
  Volume 127 Issue 47 Pages 23023-23033  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;  
  Abstract In this study, the multi-layer self-assembled molecular network formation of an alkylated tetrathiafulvalene compound is studied at the liquid-solid interface between 1-phenyloctane and graphite. A combined theoretical/experimental approach associating force-field and quantum-chemical calculations with scanning tunnelling microscopy is used to determine the two-dimensional self-assembly beyond the monolayer, but also to further the understanding of the molecular adsorption conformation and its impact on the molecular packing within the assemblies at the monolayer and bilayer level.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001111637100001 Publication Date 2023-11-30  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Financial support from the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO G081518N, G0A3220N) and KU Leuven–Internal Funds (C14/19/079) is acknowledged. This work was in part supported by FWO and F. R. S.-FNRS under the Excellence of Science EOS program (project 30489208 and 40007495). C.M. acknowledges the financial support: Grants PID2021-128761OA-C22 and CNS2022-136052 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 by the “European Union” and SBPLY/21/180501/000127 funded by JCCM and by the EU through “Fondo Europeo de Desarollo Regional” (FEDER). Research in Mons is also supported by the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS) within the Consortium des Équipements de Calcul Intensif – CÉCI, under Grant 2.5020.11, and by the Walloon Region (ZENOBE Tier-1 supercomputer, under grant 1117545). Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2023 IF: 4.536  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:201671 Serial 8974  
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Author Sánchez-Iglesias, A.; Winckelmans, N.; Altantzis, T.; Bals, S.; Grzelczak, M.; Liz-Marzán, L.M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title High-Yield Seeded Growth of Monodisperse Pentatwinned Gold Nanoparticles through Thermally Induced Seed Twinning Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Journal of the American Chemical Society Abbreviated Journal J Am Chem Soc  
  Volume 139 Issue 139 Pages 107-110  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract We show here that thermal treatment of small seeds results in extensive twinning and a subsequent drastic yield improvement (>85%) in the formation of pentatwinned nanoparticles, with pre-selected morphology (nanorods, bipyramids and decahedra) and aspect ratio. The “quality” of the seeds thus defines the yield of the obtained nanoparticles, which in the case of nanorods avoids the need for additives such as Ag+ ions. This modified seeded growth method also improves reproducibility, as the seeds can be stored for extended periods of time without compromising the quality of the final nanoparticles. Additionally, minor modification of the seeds with Pd allows their localization within the final particles, which opens new avenues toward mechanistic studies. All together, these results represent a paradigm shift in anisotropic gold nanoparticle synthesis.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000392036900025 Publication Date 2016-12-29  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0002-7863 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 13.858 Times cited 267 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Financial support is acknowledged from the European Research Council through ERC Advanced Grant Plasmaquo and the ERC Starting Grant COLOURATOM. T.A. acknowledges financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through a postdoctoral grant. (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); ECAS_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 13.858  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:139018UA @ admin @ c:irua:139018 Serial 4339  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Batuk, M.; Vandemeulebroucke, D.; Ceretti, M.; Paulus, W.; Hadermann, J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Topotactic redox cycling in SrFeO2.5+δ explored by 3D electron diffraction in different gas atmospheres Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Journal of materials chemistry A : materials for energy and sustainability Abbreviated Journal J Mater Chem A  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract For oxygen conducting materials applied in solid oxide fuel cells and chemical-looping processes, the understanding of the oxygen diffusion mechanism and the materials’ crystal structure at different stages of the redox reactions is a key parameter to control their performance. In this paper we report the first ever in situ 3D ED experiment in a gas environment and with it uncover the structure evolution of SrFeO2.5 as notably different from that reported from in situ X-ray and in situ neutron powder diffraction studies in gas environments. Using in situ 3D ED on submicron sized single crystals obtained from a high quality monodomain SrFeO2.5 single crystal , we observe the transformation under O2 flow of SrFeO2.5 with an intra- and interlayer ordering of the left and right twisted (FeO4) tetrahedral chains (space group Pcmb) into consecutively SrFeO2.75 with space group Cmmm (at 350°C, 33% O2) and SrFeO3-δ with space group Pm3 ̅m (at 400°C, 100% O2). Upon reduction in H2 flow, the crystals return to the brownmillerite structure with intralayer order, but without regaining the interlayer order of the pristine crystals. Therefore, redox cycling of SrFeO2.5 crystals in O2 and H2 introduces stacking faults into the structure, resulting in an I2/m(0βγ)0s symmetry with variable β.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000891928400001 Publication Date 0000-00-00  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2050-7488 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 11.9 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Financial support is acknowledged from the FWO-Hercules fund I003218N ‘Infrastructure for imaging nanoscale processes in gas/vapor or liquid environments’, from the University of Antwerp through grant BOF TOP 38689. This work was supported by the European Commission Horizon 2020 NanED grant number 956099. Financial support from the French National Research Agency (ANR) through the project “Structural induced Electronic Complexity controlled by low temperature Topotactic Reaction” (SECTOR No. ANR-14-CE36- 0006-01) is gratefully acknowledged. Approved Most recent IF: 11.9  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:192325 Serial 7229  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kavak, S.; Kadu, A.A.; Claes, N.; Sánchez-Iglesias, A.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Batenburg, K.J.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Quantitative 3D Investigation of Nanoparticle Assemblies by Volumetric Segmentation of Electron Tomography Data Sets Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 127 Issue 20 Pages 9725-9734  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Morphological characterization of nanoparticle assemblies and hybrid nanomaterials is critical in determining their structure-property relationships as well as in the development of structures with desired properties. Electron tomography has become a widely utilized technique for the three-dimensional characterization of nanoparticle assemblies. However, the extraction of quantitative morphological parameters from the reconstructed volume can be a complex and labor-intensive task. In this study, we aim to overcome this challenge by automating the volumetric segmentation process applied to three-dimensional reconstructions of nanoparticle assemblies. The key to enabling automated characterization is to assess the performance of different volumetric segmentation methods in accurately extracting predefined quantitative descriptors for morphological characterization. In our methodology, we compare the quantitative descriptors obtained through manual segmentation with those obtained through automated segmentation methods, to evaluate their accuracy and effectiveness. To show generality, our study focuses on the characterization of assemblies of CdSe/CdS quantum dots, gold nanospheres and CdSe/CdS encapsulated in polymeric micelles, and silica-coated gold nanorods decorated with both CdSe/CdS or PbS quantum dots. We use two unsupervised segmentation algorithms: the watershed transform and the spherical Hough transform. Our results demonstrate that the choice of automated segmentation method is crucial for accurately extracting the predefined quantitative descriptors. Specifically, the spherical Hough transform exhibits superior performance in accurately extracting quantitative descriptors, such as particle size and interparticle distance, thereby allowing for an objective, efficient, and reliable volumetric segmentation of complex nanoparticle assemblies.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000991752700001 Publication Date 2023-05-25  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited 2 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 1181122N ; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, 861950 ; H2020 European Research Council, 815128 ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2023 IF: 4.536  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:196971 Serial 8793  
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Author Bal, K.M.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Overcoming Old Scaling Relations and Establishing New Correlations in Catalytic Surface Chemistry: Combined Effect of Charging and Doping Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 123 Issue 10 Pages 6141-6147  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Optimization of catalytic materials for a given application is greatly constrained by linear scaling relations. Recently, however, it has been demonstrated that it is possible to reversibly modulate the chemisorption of molecules on nanomaterials by charging (i.e., injection or removal of electrons) and hence reversibly and selectively modify catalytic activity beyond structure−activity correlations. The fundamental physical relation between the properties of the material, the charging process, and the chemisorption energy, however, remains unclear, and a systematic exploration and optimization of charge-switchable sorbent materials is not yet possible. Using hybrid DFT calculations of CO2 chemisorption on hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets with several types of defects and dopants, we here reveal the existence of fundamental correlations between the electron affinity of a material and charge-induced chemisorption, show how defect engineering can be used to modulate the strength and efficiency of the adsorption process, and demonstrate that excess electrons stabilize many topological defects. We then show how these insights could be exploited in the development of new electrocatalytic materials and the synthesis of doped nanomaterials. Moreover, we demonstrate that calculated chemical properties of charged materials are highly sensitive to the employed computational methodology because of the self-interaction error, which underlines the theoretical challenge posed by such systems.  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000461537400035 Publication Date 2019-03-14  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 5 Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 21.02.2020  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 11V8915N ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @UA @ admin @ c:irua:158117 Serial 5160  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ghasemitarei, M.; Privat-Maldonado, A.; Yusupov, M.; Rahnama, S.; Bogaerts, A.; Ejtehadi, M.R. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Effect of Cysteine Oxidation in SARS-CoV-2 Receptor-Binding Domain on Its Interaction with Two Cell Receptors: Insights from Atomistic Simulations Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Journal Of Chemical Information And Modeling Abbreviated Journal J Chem Inf Model  
  Volume 62 Issue 1 Pages 129-141  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Binding of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein to cell receptors is vital for the entry of the virus into cells and subsequent infection. ACE2 is the main cell receptor for SARS-CoV-2, which can attach to the C-terminal receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein. The GRP78 receptor plays an anchoring role, which attaches to the RBD and increases the chance of other RBDs binding to ACE2. Although high levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) are produced during viral infections, it is not clear how they affect the RBD structure and its binding to ACE2 and GRP78. In this research, we apply molecular dynamics simulations to study the effect of oxidation of the highly reactive cysteine (Cys) amino acids of the RBD on its binding to ACE2 and GRP78. The interaction energy of both ACE2 and GRP78 with the whole RBD, as well as with the RBD main regions, is compared in both the native and oxidized RBDs. Our results show that the interaction energy between the oxidized RBD and ACE2 is strengthened by 155 kJ/mol, increasing the binding of the RBD to ACE2 after oxidation. In addition, the interaction energy between the RBD and GRP78 is slightly increased by 8 kJ/mol after oxidation, but this difference is not significant. Overall, these findings highlight the role of RONS in the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein to host cell receptors and suggest an alternative mechanism by which RONS could modulate the entrance of viral particles into the cells.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000740019000001 Publication Date 2022-01-10  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1549-9596 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.6 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 1200219N ; Binding of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein to cell receptors is vital for the entry of the virus into cells and subsequent infection. ACE2 is the main cell receptor for SARS-CoV-2, which can attach to the C-terminal receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein. The GRP78 receptor plays an anchoring role, which attaches to the RBD and increases the chance of other RBDs binding to ACE2. Although high levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) are produced during viral infections, it is not clear how they affect the RBD structure and its binding to ACE2 and GRP78. In this research, we apply molecular dynamics simulations to study the effect of oxidation of the highly reactive cysteine (Cys) amino acids of the RBD on its binding to ACE2 and GRP78. The interaction energy of both ACE2 and GRP78 with the whole RBD, as well as with the RBD main regions, is compared in both the native and oxidized RBDs. Our results show that the interaction energy between the oxidized RBD and ACE2 is strengthened by 155 kJ/mol, increasing the binding of the RBD to ACE2 after oxidation. In addition, the interaction energy between the RBD and GRP78 is slightly increased by 8 kJ/mol after oxidation, but this difference is not significant. Overall, these findings highlight the role of RONS in the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein to host cell receptors and suggest an alternative mechanism by which RONS could modulate the entrance of viral particles into the cells. Approved Most recent IF: 5.6  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:185485 Serial 7050  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Oliveira, M.C.; Yusupov, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Cordeiro, R.M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Lipid Oxidation: Role of Membrane Phase-Separated Domains Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2021 Publication Journal Of Chemical Information And Modeling Abbreviated Journal J Chem Inf Model  
  Volume 61 Issue 6 Pages 2857-2868  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;  
  Abstract Lipid oxidation is associated with several inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, but many questions to unravel its effects on biomembranes are still open due to the complexity of the topic. For instance, recent studies indicated that phase-separated domains can have a significant effect on membrane function. It is reported that domain interfaces are “hot spots” for pore formation, but the underlying mechanisms and the effect of oxidation-induced phase separation on membranes remain elusive. Thus, to evaluate the permeability of the membrane coexisting of liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) domains, we performed atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Specifically, we studied the membrane permeability of nonoxidized or oxidized homogeneous membranes (single-phase) and at the Lo/Ld domain interfaces of heterogeneous membranes, where the Ld domain is composed of either oxidized or nonoxidized lipids. Our simulation results reveal that the addition of only 1.5% of lipid aldehyde molecules at the Lo/Ld domain interfaces of heterogeneous membranes increases the membrane permeability, whereas their addition at homogeneous membranes does not have any effect. This study is of interest for a better understanding of cancer treatment methods based on oxidative stress (causing among others lipid oxidation), such as plasma medicine and photodynamic therapy.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000669541400034 Publication Date 2021-06-28  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1549-9596 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.76 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 1200219N ; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior; We thank Universidade Federal do ABC for providing the computational resources needed for completion of this work and CAPES for the scholarship granted. M.Y. acknowledges the Flanders Research Foundation (grant 1200219N) for financial support. Approved Most recent IF: 3.76  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:179766 Serial 6806  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Khalilov, U.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Toward the Understanding of Selective Si Nano-Oxidation by Atomic Scale Simulations Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Accounts of chemical research Abbreviated Journal Accounts Chem Res  
  Volume 50 Issue 50 Pages 796-804  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract The continuous miniaturization of nanodevices, such as transistors, solar cells, and optical fibers, requires the controlled synthesis of (ultra)thin gate oxides (<10 nm), including Si gate-oxide (SiO2) with high quality at the atomic scale. Traditional thermal growth of SiO2 on planar Si surfaces, however, does not allow one to obtain such ultrathin oxide due to either the high oxygen diffusivity at high temperature or the very low sticking ability of incident oxygen at low temperature. Two recent techniques, both operative at low (room) temperature, have been put forward to overcome these obstacles: (i) hyperthermal oxidation of planar Si surfaces and (ii) thermal or plasma-assisted oxidation of nonplanar Si surfaces, including Si nanowires (SiNWs). These nanooxidation processes are, however, often difficult to study experimentally, due to the key intermediate processes taking place on the nanosecond time scale.

In this Account, these Si nano-oxidation techniques are discussed from a computational point of view and compared to both hyperthermal and thermal oxidation experiments, as well as to well-known models of thermal oxidation, including the Deal−Grove, Cabrera−Mott, and Kao models and several alternative mechanisms. In our studies, we use reactive molecular dynamics (MD) and hybrid MD/Monte Carlo simulation techniques, applying the Reax force field. The incident energy of oxygen species is chosen in the range of 1−5 eV in hyperthermal oxidation of planar Si surfaces in order to prevent energy-induced damage. It turns out that hyperthermal growth allows for two growth modes, where the ultrathin oxide thickness depends on either (1) only the kinetic energy of the incident oxygen species at a growth temperature below Ttrans = 600 K, or (2) both the incident energy and the growth temperature at a growth temperature above Ttrans. These modes are specific to such ultrathin oxides, and are not observed in traditional thermal oxidation, nor theoretically considered by already existing models. In the case of thermal or plasma-assisted oxidation of small Si nanowires, on the other hand, the thickness of the ultrathin oxide is a function of the growth temperature and the nanowire diameter. Below Ttrans, which varies with the nanowire diameter, partially oxidized SiNW are formed, whereas complete oxidation to a SiO2 nanowire occurs only above Ttrans. In both nano-oxidation processes at lower temperature (T < Ttrans), final sandwich c-Si|SiOx|a-SiO2 structures are obtained due to a competition between overcoming the energy barrier to penetrate into Si subsurface layers and the compressive stress (∼2−3 GPa) at the Si crystal/oxide interface. The overall atomic-simulation results strongly indicate that the thickness of the intermediate SiOx (x < 2) region is very limited (∼0.5 nm) and constant irrespective of oxidation parameters. Thus, control over the ultrathin SiO2 thickness with good quality is indeed possible by accurately tuning the oxidant energy, oxidation temperature and surface curvature.

In general, we discuss and put in perspective these two oxidation mechanisms for obtaining controllable ultrathin gate-oxide films, offering a new route toward the fabrication of nanodevices via selective nano-oxidation.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000399859800016 Publication Date 2017-04-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0001-4842 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 20.268 Times cited 5 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 12M1315N ; Approved Most recent IF: 20.268  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:142638 Serial 4561  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Izadi, M.E.; Bal, K.M.; Maghari, A.; Neyts, E.C. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Reaction mechanisms of C(3PJ) and C+(2PJ) with benzene in the interstellar medium from quantum mechanical molecular dynamics simulations Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2021 Publication Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics Abbreviated Journal Phys Chem Chem Phys  
  Volume 23 Issue 7 Pages 4205-4216  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract While spectroscopic data on small hydrocarbons in interstellar media in combination with crossed molecular beam (CMB) experiments have provided a wealth of information on astrochemically relevant species, much of the underlying mechanistic pathways of their formation remain elusive. Therefore, in this work, the chemical reaction mechanisms of C(<sup>3</sup>P<sub>J</sub>) + C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>6</sub>and C<sup>+</sup>(<sup>2</sup>P) + C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>6</sub>systems using the quantum mechanical molecular dynamics (QMMD) technique at the PBE0-D3(BJ) level of theory is investigated, mimicking a CMB experiment. Both the dynamics of the reactions as well as the electronic structure for the purpose of the reaction network are evaluated. The method is validated for the first reaction by comparison to the available experimental data. The reaction scheme for the C(<sup>3</sup>P<sub>J</sub>) + C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>6</sub>system covers the literature data,<italic>e.g.</italic>the major products are the 1,2-didehydrocycloheptatrienyl radical (C<sub>7</sub>H<sub>5</sub>) and benzocyclopropenyl radical (C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>5</sub>–CH), and it reveals the existence of less common pathways for the first time. The chemistry of the C<sup>+</sup>(<sup>2</sup>P<sub>J</sub>) + C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>6</sub>system is found to be much richer, and we have found that this is because of more exothermic reactions in this system in comparison to those in the C(<sup>3</sup>P<sub>J</sub>) + C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>6</sub>system. Moreover, using the QMMD simulation, a number of reaction paths have been revealed that produce three distinct classes of reaction products with different ring sizes. All in all, at all the collision energies and orientations, the major product is the heptagon molecular ion for the ionic system. It is also revealed that the collision orientation has a dominant effect on the reaction products in both systems, while the collision energy mostly affects the charged system. These simulations both prove the applicability of this approach to simulate crossed molecular beams, and provide fundamental information on reactions relevant for the interstellar medium.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000621595300016 Publication Date 2021-01-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1463-9076 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.123 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 12ZI420N ; Ministry of Science Research and Technology; Universiteit Antwerpen; The financial support from the Iran Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and PLASMANT Research Group University of Antwerp is highly acknowledged by the authors. K.M.B. was funded as a junior postdoctoral fellow of the FWO (Research Foundation – Flanders), Grant 12ZI420N. The computational resources and services used in this work were provided by the HPC core facility CalcUA of the Universiteit Antwerpen, and VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center), funded by the FWO and the Flemish Government. Approved Most recent IF: 4.123  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:176672 Serial 6742  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Eshtehardi, H.A.; Van ‘t Veer, K.; Delplancke, M.-P.; Reniers, F.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Postplasma Catalytic Model for NO Production: Revealing the Underlying Mechanisms to Improve the Process Efficiency Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 11 Issue 5 Pages 1720-1733  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Plasma catalysis is emerging for plasma-assisted gas conversion

processes. However, the underlying mechanisms of plasma catalysis are poorly

understood. In this work, we present a 1D heterogeneous catalysis model with axial

dispersion (i.e., accounting for back-mixing and molecular diffusion of fluid elements in

the process stream in the axial direction), for plasma-catalytic NO production from

N2/O2 mixtures. We investigate the concentration and reaction rates of each species

formed as a function of time and position across the catalyst, in order to determine the

underlying mechanisms. To obtain insights into how the performance of the process

can be further improved, we also study how changes in the postplasma gas flow

composition entering the catalyst bed and in the operation conditions of the catalytic

stage affect the performance of NO production.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000926412800001 Publication Date 2023-02-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2168-0485 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 8.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 30505023 GoF9618n ; Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique – FNRS, 30505023 GoF9618n ; H2020 European Research Council, 810182 ; Approved Most recent IF: 8.4; 2023 IF: 5.951  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:195377 Serial 7258  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author van ‘t Veer, K.; Engelmann, Y.; Reniers, F.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Plasma-Catalytic Ammonia Synthesis in a DBD Plasma: Role of Microdischarges and Their Afterglows Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 124 Issue 42 Pages 22871-22883  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Movement Antwerp (MOVANT)  
  Abstract Plasma-catalytic ammonia synthesis is receiving ever increasing attention, especially in packed bed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactors. The latter typically operate in the filamentary regime when used for gas conversion applications. While DBDs are in principle well understood and already applied in the industry, the incorporation of packing materials and catalytic surfaces considerably adds to the complexity of the plasma physics and chemistry governing the ammonia formation. We employ a plasma kinetics model to gain insights into the ammonia formation mechanisms, paying special attention to the role of filamentary microdischarges and their afterglows. During the microdischarges, the synthesized ammonia is actually decomposed, but the radicals created upon electron impact dissociation of N2 and H2 and the subsequent catalytic reactions cause a net ammonia gain in the afterglows of the microdischarges. Under our plasma conditions, electron impact dissociation of N2 in the gas phase followed by the adsorption of N atoms is identified as a rate-limiting step, instead of dissociative adsorption of N2 on the catalyst surface. Both elementary Eley−Rideal and Langmuir−Hinshelwood reaction steps can be found important in plasma-catalytic NH3 synthesis.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000585970300002 Publication Date 2020-10-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 30505023 GoF9618n ; Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique – FNRS, 30505023 GoF9618n ; H2020 European Research Council, 810182 ;This research was supported by the Excellence of Science FWOFNRS project (FWO grant ID GoF9618n, EOS ID 30505023) and by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no 810182-SCOPE ERC Synergy project). The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the UAntwerpen. The authors would also like to thank Järi Van den Hoek and Dr. Yury Gorbanev for providing the experimentally measured electrical characteristics and Dr. Fatme Jardali for creating the TOC graphics. Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2020 IF: 4.536  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:173587 Serial 6428  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Eshtehardi, H.A.; van 't Veer, K.; Delplancke, M.-P.; Reniers, F.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Postplasma Catalytic Model for NO Production: Revealing the Underlying Mechanisms to Improve the Process Efficiency Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 11 Issue 5 Pages 1720-1733  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Plasma catalysis is emerging for plasma-assisted gas conversion processes. However, the underlying mechanisms of plasma catalysis are poorly understood. In this work, we present a 1D heterogeneous catalysis model with axial dispersion (i.e., accounting for back-mixing and molecular diffusion of fluid elements in the process stream in the axial direction), for plasma-catalytic NO production from N2/O2 mixtures. We investigate the concentration and reaction rates of each species formed as a function of time and position across the catalyst, in order to determine the underlying mechanisms. To obtain insights into how the performance of the process can be further improved, we also study how changes in the postplasma gas flow composition entering the catalyst bed and in the operation conditions of the catalytic stage affect the performance of NO production.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000926412800001 Publication Date 2023-02-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2168-0485 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 8.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 30505023 GoF9618n ; Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique FNRS, 30505023 GoF9618n ; H2020 European Research Council, 810182 ; Approved Most recent IF: 8.4; 2023 IF: 5.951  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:195377 Serial 7241  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Van Alphen, S.; Vermeiren, V.; Butterworth, T.; van den Bekerom, D.C.M.; van Rooij, G.J.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Power Pulsing To Maximize Vibrational Excitation Efficiency in N2Microwave Plasma: A Combined Experimental and Computational Study Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 124 Issue 3 Pages 1765-1779  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Plasma is gaining increasing interest for N2 fixation, being a flexible, electricity-driven alternative for the current conventional fossil fuel-based N2 fixation processes. As the vibrational-induced dissociation of N2 is found to be an energy-efficient pathway to acquire atomic N for the fixation processes, plasmas that are in vibrational nonequilibrium seem promising for this application. However, an important challenge in using nonequilibrium plasmas lies in preventing vibrational−translational (VT) relaxation processes, in which vibrational energy crucial for N2 dissociation is lost to gas heating. We present here both experimental and modeling results for the vibrational and gas temperature in a microsecond-pulsed microwave (MW) N2 plasma, showing how power pulsing can suppress this unfavorable VT relaxation and achieve a maximal vibrational nonequilibrium. By means of our kinetic model, we demonstrate that pulsed plasmas take advantage of the long time scale on which VT processes occur, yielding a very pronounced nonequilibrium over the whole N2 vibrational ladder. Additionally, the effect of pulse parameters like the pulse frequency and pulse width are investigated, demonstrating that the advantage of pulsing to inhibit VT relaxation diminishes for high pulse frequencies (around 7000 kHz) and long power pulses (above 400 μs). Nevertheless, all regimes studied here demonstrate a clear vibrational nonequilibrium while only requiring a limited power-on time, and thus, we may conclude that a pulsed plasma seems very interesting for energyefficient vibrational excitation.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000509438600001 Publication Date 2020-01-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 30505023 GoF9618n ; This research was supported by the Excellence of Science FWO-FNRS project (FWO Grant ID GoF9618n, EOS ID 30505023). The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the UAntwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2020 IF: 4.536  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:165586 Serial 5443  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Aghaei, M.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Flowing Atmospheric Pressure Afterglow for Ambient Ionization: Reaction Pathways Revealed by Modeling Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2021 Publication Analytical Chemistry Abbreviated Journal Anal Chem  
  Volume 93 Issue 17 Pages 6620-6628  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract We describe the plasma chemistry in a helium flowing atmospheric pressure afterglow (FAPA) used for analytical spectrometry, by means of a quasione-dimensional (1D) plasma chemical kinetics model. We study the effect of typical impurities present in the feed gas, as well as the afterglow in ambient humid air. The model provides the species density profiles in the discharge and afterglow regions and the chemical pathways. We demonstrate that H, N, and O atoms are formed in the discharge region, while the dominant reactive neutral species in the afterglow are O3 and NO. He* and He2* are responsible for Penning ionization of O2, N2, H2O, H2, and N, and especially O and H atoms. Besides, He2+ also contributes to ionization of N2, O2, H2O, and O through charge transfer reactions. From the pool of ions created in the discharge, NO+ and (H2O)3H+ are the dominant ions in the afterglow. Moreover, negatively charged clusters, such as NO3H2O− and NO2H2O−, are formed and their pathway is discussed as well. Our model predictions are in line with earlier observations in the literature about the important reagent ions and provide a comprehensive overview of the underlying pathways. The model explains in detail why helium provides a high analytical sensitivity because of high reagent ion formation by both Penning ionization and charge transfer. Such insights are very valuable for improving the analytical performance of this (and other) ambient desorption/ionization source(s).  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000648505900008 Publication Date 2021-05-04  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0003-2700 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 6.32 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 6713 ; The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO) grant number 6713. The computational work was carried out using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UA), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (Department EWI), and the UA. The authors also thank J. T. Shelley for providing experimental data for the gas velocity behind the anode disk and before the mass spectrometer interface, to validate our model. Approved Most recent IF: 6.32  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:178126 Serial 6762  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vermeiren, V.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Supersonic Microwave Plasma: Potential and Limitations for Energy-Efficient CO2Conversion Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2018 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 122 Issue 45 Pages 25869-25881  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;  
  Abstract Supersonic flows provide a high thermodynamic

nonequilibrium, which is crucial for energy-efficient conversion of

CO 2 in microwave plasmas and are therefore of great interest.

However, the effect of the flow on the chemical reactions is poorly

understood. In this work, we present a combined flow and plasma

chemical kinetics model of a microwave CO 2 plasma in a Laval

nozzle setup. The effects of the flow field on the different dissociation

and recombination mechanisms, the vibrational distribution, and the

vibrational transfer mechanism are discussed. In addition, the effect

of experimental parameters, like position of power deposition, outlet

pressure, and specific energy input, on the CO 2 conversion and

energy efficiency is examined. The short residence time of the gas in

the plasma region, the shockwave, and the maximum critical heat,

and thus power, that can be added to the flow to avoid thermal

choking are the main obstacles to reaching high energy efficiencies.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000451101400016 Publication Date 2018-11-15  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 5 Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G.0383.16N ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:155412 Serial 5070  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Cleiren, E.; Heijkers, S.; Ramakers, M.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Dry Reforming of Methane in a Gliding Arc Plasmatron: Towards a Better Understanding of the Plasma Chemistry Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Chemsuschem Abbreviated Journal Chemsuschem  
  Volume 10 Issue 20 Pages 4025-4036  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Dry reforming of methane (DRM) in a gliding arc plasmatron is studied for different CH4 fractions in the mixture. The CO2 and CH4 conversions reach their highest values of approximately 18 and 10%, respectively, at 25% CH4 in the gas mixture, corresponding to an overall energy cost of 10 kJ L@1 (or 2.5 eV per molecule) and an energy efficiency of 66%. CO and H2 are the major products, with the formation of smaller fractions of C2Hx (x=2, 4, or 6) compounds and H2O. A chemical kinetics model is used to investigate the underlying chemical processes. The calculated CO2 and CH4 conversion and the energy efficiency are in good agreement with the experimental data. The model calculations reveal that the reaction of CO2 (mainly at vibrationally excited levels) with H radicals is mainly responsible for

the CO2 conversion, especially at higher CH4 fractions in the mixture, which explains why the CO2 conversion increases with increasing CH4 fraction. The main process responsible for CH4 conversion is the reaction with OH radicals. The excellent energy efficiency can be explained by the non-equilibrium character of the plasma, in which the electrons mainly activate the gas molecules, and by the important role of the vibrational kinetics of CO2. The results demonstrate that a gliding arc plasmatron is very promising for DRM.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000413565100012 Publication Date 2017-10-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1864-5631 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.226 Times cited 23 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G.0383.16N ; Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid; Approved Most recent IF: 7.226  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:146665 Serial 4759  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vermeiren, V.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Plasma-Based CO2Conversion: To Quench or Not to Quench? Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 124 Issue 34 Pages 18401-18415  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Plasma technology is gaining increasing interest for CO2 conversion. The gas temperature in (and after) the plasma reactor largely affects the performance. Therefore, we examine the effect of cooling/quenching, during and after the plasma, on the CO2 conversion and energy efficiency, for typical “warm” plasmas, by means of chemical kinetics modeling. For plasmas at low specific energy input (SEI ∼ 0.5 eV/molecule), it is best to quench at the plasma end, while for high-SEI plasmas (SEI ∼ 4 eV/molecule), quenching at maximum conversion is better. For low-SEI plasmas, quenching can even increase the conversion beyond the dissociation in the plasma, known as superideal quenching. To better understand the effects of quenching at different plasma conditions, we study the dissociation and recombination rates, as well as the vibrational distribution functions (VDFs) of CO2, CO, and O2. When a high vibrational−translational (VT) nonequilibrium exists at the moment of quenching, the dissociation and recombination reaction rates both increase. Depending on the conversion degree at the moment of quenching, this can lead to a net increase or decrease of CO2 conversion. In general, however, and certainly for equilibrium plasmas at high temperature, quenching after the plasma helps prevent recombination reactions and clearly enhances the final CO2 conversion. We also investigate the effect of different quenching cooling rates on the CO2 conversion and energy efficiency. Finally, we compare plasma-based conversion to purely thermal conversion. For warm plasmas with typical temperatures of 3000−4000 K, the conversion is roughly thermal.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000566481000003 Publication Date 2020-08-27  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G.0383.16N ; H2020 European Research Council, 810182 ; This research was supported by the FWO project (grant no. G.0383.16N) and the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grant agreement no. 810182SCOPE ERC Synergy project). The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI), and the UAntwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2020 IF: 4.536  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:172052 Serial 6407  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Heijkers, S.; Martini, L.M.; Dilecce, G.; Tosi, P.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Nanosecond Pulsed Discharge for CO2Conversion: Kinetic Modeling To Elucidate the Chemistry and Improve the Performance Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 123 Issue 19 Pages 12104-12116  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract We study the mechanisms of CO2 conversion in a nanosecond repetitively pulsed (NRP) discharge, by means of a chemical kinetics model. The calculated conversions and energy efficiencies are in reasonable agreement with experimental results over a wide range of specific energy input values, and the same applies to the evolution of gas temperature and CO2 conversion as a function of time in the afterglow, indicating that our model provides a realistic picture of the underlying mechanisms in the NRP discharge and can be used to identify its limitations and thus to suggest further improvements. Our model predicts that vibrational excitation is very important in the NRP discharge, explaining why this type of plasma yields energy-efficient CO2 conversion. A significant part of the CO2 dissociation occurs by electronic excitation from the lower vibrational levels toward repulsive electronic states, thus resulting in dissociation. However, vibration−translation (VT) relaxation (depopulating the higher vibrational levels) and CO + O recombination (CO + O + M → CO2 + M), as well as mixing of the converted gas with fresh gas entering the plasma in between the pulses, are limiting factors for the conversion and energy efficiency. Our model predicts that extra cooling, slowing down the rate of VT relaxation and of the above recombination reaction, thus enhancing the contribution of the highest vibrational levels to the overall CO2 dissociation, can further improve the performance of the NRP discharge for energy-efficient CO2 conversion.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000468368800009 Publication Date 2019-05-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 4 Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 26.04.2020  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G.0383.16N ; The authors acknowledge financial support from the Fund for Scientific Research, Flanders (FWO; Grant no. G.0383.16N). Approved Most recent IF: 4.536  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @UA @ admin @ c:irua:159976 Serial 5174  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vermeiren, V.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Improving the Energy Efficiency of CO2Conversion in Nonequilibrium Plasmas through Pulsing Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 123 Issue 29 Pages 17650-17665  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Nonequilibrium plasmas offer a pathway for energy-efficient CO2 conversion through vibrationally induced dissociation. However, the efficiency of this pathway is limited by a rise in gas temperature, which increases vibrational−translational (VT) relaxation and quenches the vibrational levels. Therefore, we investigate here the effect of plasma pulsing on the VT nonequilibrium and on the CO2 conversion by means of a zerodimensional chemical kinetics model, with self-consistent gas temperature calculation. Specifically, we show that higher energy efficiencies can be reached by correctly tuning the plasma pulse and interpulse times. The ideal plasma pulse time corresponds to the time needed to reach the highest vibrational temperature. In addition, the highest energy efficiencies are obtained with long interpulse times, that is, ≥0.1 s, in which the gas temperature can entirely drop to room temperature. Furthermore, additional cooling of the reactor walls can give higher energy efficiencies at shorter interpulse times of 1 ms. Finally, our model shows that plasma pulsing can significantly improve the energy efficiency at low reduced electric fields (50 and 100 Td, typical for microwave and gliding arc plasmas) and intermediate ionization degrees (5 × 10−7 and 10−6).  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000477785000003 Publication Date 2019-07-25  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 1 Open Access  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G.0383.16N ; This research was supported by the FWO project (grant G.0383.16N). The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI), and the UAntwerpen. We also like to thank N. Britun (ChIPS) for the interesting discussions. Approved Most recent IF: 4.536  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:161621 Serial 5289  
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Author Tunca, B.; Lapauw, T.; Karakulina, O.M.; Batuk, M.; Cabioc’h, T.; Hadermann, J.; Delville, R.; Lambrinou, K.; Vleugels, J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Synthesis of MAX Phases in the Zr-Ti-Al-C System Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Inorganic chemistry Abbreviated Journal Inorg Chem  
  Volume 56 Issue 56 Pages 3489-3498  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract This study reports on the synthesis and characterization of MAX phases in the (Zr,Ti)n+1AlCn system. The MAX phases were synthesized by reactive hot pressing and pressureless sintering in the 1350–1700 °C temperature range. The produced ceramics contained large fractions of 211 and 312 (n = 1, 2) MAX phases, while strong evidence of a 413 (n = 3) stacking was found. Moreover, (Zr,Ti)C, ZrAl2, ZrAl3, and Zr2Al3 were present as secondary phases. In general, the lattice parameters of the hexagonal 211 and 312 phases followed Vegard’s law over the complete Zr-Ti solid solution range, but the 312 phase showed a non-negligible deviation from Vegard’s law around the (Zr0.33,Ti0.67)3Al1.2C1.6 stoichiometry. High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with X-ray diffraction demonstrated ordering of the Zr and Ti atoms in the 312 phase, whereby Zr atoms occupied preferentially the central position in the close-packed M6X octahedral layers. The same ordering was also observed in 413 stackings present within the 312 phase. The decomposition of the secondary (Zr,Ti)C phase was attributed to the miscibility gap in the ZrC-TiC system.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000397171100045 Publication Date 2017-03-20  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0020-1669 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.857 Times cited 26 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G.0431.10N.F ; Agentschap voor Innovatie door Wetenschap en Technologie, 131081 ; European Atomic Energy Community, 604862 ; SCK-CEN Academy for Nuclear Science and Technology; Hercules Foundation, Project/Award no: AKUL/1319 Project/Award no: ZW09-09 ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.857  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:141794 Serial 4491  
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Author Verlackt, C.C.W.; Van Boxem, W.; Dewaele, D.; Lemière, F.; Sobott, F.; Benedikt, J.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Mechanisms of Peptide Oxidation by Hydroxyl Radicals: Insight at the Molecular Scale Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 121 Issue 121 Pages 5787-5799  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to provide atomic scale insight in the initial interaction between hydroxyl radicals (OH) and peptide systems in solution. These OH radicals are representative reactive oxygen species produced by cold atmospheric plasmas. The use of plasma for biomedical applications is gaining increasing interest, but the fundamental mechanisms behind the plasma modifications still remain largely elusive. This study helps to gain more insight in the underlying mechanisms of plasma medicine but is also more generally applicable to peptide oxidation, of interest for other applications. Combining both reactive and nonreactive MD simulations, we are able to elucidate the reactivity of the amino acids inside the peptide systems and their effect on their structure up to 1 μs. Additionally, experiments were performed, treating the simulated peptides with a plasma jet. The computational results presented here correlate well with the obtained experimental data and highlight the importance of the chemical environment for the reactivity of the individual amino acids, so that specific amino acids are attacked in higher numbers than expected. Furthermore, the long time scale simulations suggest that a single oxidation has an effect on the 3D conformation due to an increase in hydrophilicity and intra- and intermolecular interactions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000396969900037 Publication Date 2017-03-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 5 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G012413N ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:142202 Serial 4537  
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Author Tsonev, I.; O’Modhrain, C.; Bogaerts, A.; Gorbanev, Y. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Nitrogen Fixation by an Arc Plasma at Elevated Pressure to Increase the Energy Efficiency and Production Rate of NOx Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 11 Issue 5 Pages 1888-1897  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Plasma-based nitrogen fixation for fertilizer production is an attractive alternative to the fossil fuel-based industrial processes. However, many factors hinder its applicability, e.g., the commonly observed inverse correlation between energy consumption and production rates or the necessity to enhance the selectivity toward NO2, the desired product for a more facile formation of nitrate-based fertilizers. In this work, we investigated the use of a rotating gliding arc plasma for nitrogen fixation at elevated pressures (up to 3 barg), at different feed gas flow rates and composition. Our results demonstrate a dramatic increase in the amount of NOx produced as a function of increasing pressure, with a record-low EC of 1.8 MJ/(mol N) while yielding a high production rate of 69 g/h and a high selectivity (94%) of NO2. We ascribe this improvement to the enhanced thermal Zeldovich mechanism and an increased rate of NO oxidation compared to the back reaction of NO with atomic oxygen, due to the elevated pressure.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000924366700001 Publication Date 2023-02-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2168-0485 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G0G2322N ; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, 965546 ; Approved Most recent IF: 8.4; 2023 IF: 5.951  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:194281 Serial 7239  
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Author Jardali, F.; Van Alphen, S.; Creel, J.; Ahmadi Eshtehardi, H.; Axelsson, M.; Ingels, R.; Snyders, R.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title NOxproduction in a rotating gliding arc plasma: potential avenue for sustainable nitrogen fixation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2021 Publication Green Chemistry Abbreviated Journal Green Chem  
  Volume 23 Issue 4 Pages 1748-1757  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract The fast growing world population demands food to survive, and nitrogen-based fertilizers are essential to ensure sufficient food production. Today, fertilizers are mainly produced from non-sustainable fossil fuels<italic>via</italic>the Haber–Bosch process, leading to serious environmental problems. We propose here a novel rotating gliding arc plasma, operating in air, for direct NO<sub>x</sub>production, which can yield high nitrogen content organic fertilizers without pollution associated with ammonia emission. We explored the efficiency of NO<sub>x</sub>production in a wide range of feed gas ratios, and for two arc modes: rotating and steady. When the arc is in steady mode, record-value NO<sub>x</sub>concentrations up to 5.5% are achieved which are 1.7 times higher than the maximum concentration obtained by the rotating arc mode, and with an energy consumption of 2.5 MJ mol<sup>−1</sup>(or<italic>ca.</italic>50 kW h kN<sup>−1</sup>);<italic>i.e.</italic>the lowest value so far achieved by atmospheric pressure plasma reactors. Computer modelling, using a combination of five different complementary approaches, provides a comprehensive picture of NO<sub>x</sub>formation in both arc modes; in particular, the higher NO<sub>x</sub>production in the steady arc mode is due to the combined thermal and vibrationally-promoted Zeldovich mechanisms.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000629630600021 Publication Date 2021-01-28  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1463-9262 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.125 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, GoF9618n 30505023 ; H2020 European Research Council, 810182 ; This research was supported by a Bilateral Project with N2 Applied, the Excellence of Science FWO-FNRS project (FWO grant ID GoF9618n, EOS ID 30505023) and by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project). The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the UAntwerpen. We also thank J.-L. Liu for the RGA design, L. Van ‘t dack and K. Leyssens for MS calibration and practical support, and K. Van ‘t Veer for the fruitful discussions on plasma kinetic modelling and for calculating the electron energy losses. Approved Most recent IF: 9.125  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:176022 Serial 6678  
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Author Li, S.; Sun, J.; Gorbanev, Y.; van’t Veer, K.; Loenders, B.; Yi, Y.; Kenis, T.; Chen, Q.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Plasma-Assisted Dry Reforming of CH4: How Small Amounts of O2Addition Can Drastically Enhance the Oxygenate Production─Experiments and Insights from Plasma Chemical Kinetics Modeling Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering Abbreviated Journal ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng.  
  Volume 11 Issue 42 Pages 15373-15384  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;  
  Abstract Plasma-based dry reforming of methane (DRM) into

high-value-added oxygenates is an appealing approach to enable

otherwise thermodynamically unfavorable chemical reactions at

ambient pressure and near room temperature. However, it suffers

from coke deposition due to the deep decomposition of CH4. In this

work, we assess the DRM performance upon O2 addition, as well as

varying temperature, CO2/CH4 ratio, discharge power, and gas

residence time, for optimizing oxygenate production. By adding O2,

the main products can be shifted from syngas (CO + H2) toward

oxygenates. Chemical kinetics modeling shows that the improved

oxygenate production is due to the increased concentration of

oxygen-containing radicals, e.g., O, OH, and HO2, formed by electron

impact dissociation [e + O2 → e + O + O/O(1D)] and subsequent

reactions with H atoms. Our study reveals the crucial role of oxygen-coupling in DRM aimed at oxygenates, providing practical

solutions to suppress carbon deposition and at the same time enhance the oxygenates production in plasma-assisted DRM.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001082603900001 Publication Date 2023-10-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2168-0485 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.4 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes (up) Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, S001619N ; China Scholarship Council, 202006060029 ; National Natural Science Foundation of China, 21975018 ; H2020 European Research Council, 810182 ; Approved Most recent IF: 8.4; 2023 IF: 5.951  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:201013 Serial 8966  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ustarroz, J.; Hammons, J.A.; Altantzis, T.; Hubin, A.; Bals, S.; Terryn, H. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title A generalized electrochemical aggregative growth mechanism Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2013 Publication Journal of the American Chemical Society Abbreviated Journal J Am Chem Soc  
  Volume 135 Issue 31 Pages 11550-11561  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The early stages of nanocrystal nucleation and growth are still an active field of research and remain unrevealed. In this work, by the combination of aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrochemical characterization of the electrodeposition of different metals, we provide a complete reformulation of the VolmerWeber 3D island growth mechanism, which has always been accepted to explain the early stages of metal electrodeposition and thin-film growth on low-energy substrates. We have developed a Generalized Electrochemical Aggregative Growth Mechanism which mimics the atomistic processes during the early stages of thin-film growth, by incorporating nanoclusters as building blocks. We discuss the influence of new processes such as nanocluster self-limiting growth, surface diffusion, aggregation, and coalescence on the growth mechanism and morphology of the resulting nanostructures. Self-limiting growth mechanisms hinder nanocluster growth and favor coalescence driven growth. The size of the primary nanoclusters is independent of the applied potential and deposition time. The balance between nucleation, nanocluster surface diffusion, and coalescence depends on the material and the overpotential, and influences strongly the morphology of the deposits. A small extent of coalescence leads to ultraporous dendritic structures, large surface coverage, and small particle size. Contrarily, full recrystallization leads to larger hemispherical monocrystalline islands and smaller particle density. The mechanism we propose represents a scientific breakthrough from the fundamental point of view and indicates that achieving the right balance between nucleation, self-limiting growth, cluster surface diffusion, and coalescence is essential and opens new, exciting possibilities to build up enhanced supported nanostructures using nanoclusters as building blocks.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor  
  Language Wos 000323019400034 Publication Date 2013-06-28  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0002-7863;1520-5126; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 13.858 Times cited 124 Open Access  
  Notes (up) Fow; Hercules Approved Most recent IF: 13.858; 2013 IF: 11.444  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:109453 Serial 1323  
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